By Naomi Kruh
Staff Writer
Ever since the fifth grade, senior Miriam Sachs has been using poetry as an outlet. Today, Sachs is part of an organization, Get Lit Words Ignite, and is able to share her poetry with a wide range of people.
Sachs is currently a member of the Get Lit Literati Leadership core and attends leadership training every month. Sachs has performed at events at places such as Fathom Art Gallery and USC. She is also currently working on a film for Get Lit’s ACTIVATE program about getting more funding for the arts, which will be presented in San Francisco.
“I enjoy the community of accepting poets who challenge each other and are constantly open to new ideas,” Sachs said. “I especially love the support I get from teachers and peers, and it’s so awesome to have a place and an outlet to share my work and my thoughts and my feelings.”
Since joining Get Lit her sophomore year, Sachs has been on the radio station KPFK and the children’s show Reading Rainbows. In addition to competing in the Brave New Voices competition in Atlanta, Georgia, she has met the show runner for “Being Mary Jane”, and is now going to classes around LA to share poetry in events called blitzes.
“I joined Get Lit because I love writing, and Get Lit was a way to write with other people and have a community,” Sachs said. “It also gave me an outlet for sharing my work and getting feedback.”
Get Lit has developed a curriculum for the blitzes that a handful of schools in Los Angeles have adopted. The curriculum focuses on teaching students about poetry through an anthology of poetry from poets such as Maya Angelou and Gwendolyn Brooks. The students also learn about different poetic devices and write a poem in response to a poem from the anthology that is made available to them.
“Exposing others to classic poetry can allow them to claim a poem, finding words that speak to them and make them feel less alone in this crazy world,” Sachs said. “Not every poem is right for everyone, but I do think that there is something for everyone.”
Sachs has had the opportunity to go to blitzes at Bell High School, Brentwood High School, and Venice High School. Sachs attends the blitzes with other Get Lit members and either performs a famous poet’s work or an original poem.
“When people hear my poetry, I hope they feel inspired to write their own stuff, and also understand whatever message is in the poem that I am sharing,” Sachs said. “I also hope people open their minds a little bit to better accept the perspectives of others.
Sachs began using poetry as an outlet after she read “Writing Down the Bones”. She began to write a journal that then turned into producing finished poems. Poetry has become a meditation outlet for Sachs since she began writing.
“Writing poetry helps me process and figure out what’s going on with myself and my world,” Sachs said.
Last year, Sachs was a Get Lit Player, which is a troop of performers. Before auditioning for a spot, Sachs attended Saturday classes that Get Lit hosts where she was able to work on her writing and performance. According to Sachs anyone is able to join Get Lit and can just stop by the Saturday classes.
“I write to share what is going on with me and hopefully someone else can relate to that and connect with it and it can change them in a positive way,” Sachs said.
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